1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for recording imagery and other data during operation of a vehicle and, more specifically, to a device that stores such data during the time interval surrounding a triggering event such as detection of an impending vehicle collision.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various recorders have been used to gather and retain data obtained from vehicle sensors. One well-known such recorder is the in-flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, sometimes referred to as the xe2x80x9cblack boxxe2x80x9d recorder, typically carried by commercial and military aircraft. These devices record certain operating parameters of the aircraft, as well as the voices of the operators, and have found use in setting maintenance schedules, or to assist in determining the cause of an accident. Data recorders have been known to use magnetic tape or solid-state storage devices.
The ever-increasing use of motor vehicles has created a complex and expensive system of determining liability for the damages which result from accidents. Inevitably, it is difficult to reconstruct the events leading up to, and resulting from, the accident impact, as witness testimony is often unreliable and contradictory, and the physical remains generally do not contain sufficient evidence of the actual incident. A device to gather and record data from a wide range of operating parameters would be of great use, provided that the data covered the time leading up to the accident, as well as the accident itself, and that the data was secure so that it could be admitted in proceedings to determine liability.
Efforts have been made to construct recording devices which are lighter, more versatile, and more secure in their data storage. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,419 to Hill discloses a device for recording sensor data which included provisions to compress and decompress data, as well as to encrypt the stored data to enhance the integrity of the data. U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,056 to Gustin discloses a device to record various analog signal inputs occurring before and after a triggering event. U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,464 to Woll et al. discloses an event recording apparatus to monitor the operational parameters of a vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,813 to Scharton discloses a device to trigger the operation of a camera mounted in a vehicle upon the occurrence of an impact. U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,182 to Ousborne also discloses an recording apparatus to monitor the operational parameters of a vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,197 to Sorden et al. discloses a device to trigger the operation of a location reporting device in a vehicle upon the occurrence of an event such as an impact. Each of these devices has certain limitations which reduce its applicability as a secure storage device for recording numerous sensor inputs occurring before and after a triggering event.
A disadvantage of some prior vehicle data recording devices is that they are not fully integrated or self-contained. Rather, they include a data recorder located remotely from and coupled by electrical cables to the video camera or other sensor that obtains the data to be recorded. Another disadvantage of some prior vehicle data recording devices is that they are not located in the vehicle cabin at a position that is both efficient for data-gathering and convenient to use. It would be desirable to provide a self-contained, compact, conveniently and efficiently located recording device that records video or other types of data during a time interval preceding a triggering event, such as a detection of an impending accident. These problems and deficiencies are clearly felt in the art and are solved by the present invention in the manner described below.
The present invention relates to a self-contained vehicle-mounted device for capturing video imagery in response to a triggering event. The device includes a housing in which the electronics and related elements of the invention are contained. These elements include one or more data sensors, at least one of which is an image sensor, such as a charge-coupled device, that senses visible light, infrared radiation or other optical phenomena representing video imagery. Also included are a data sensor circuit and a capture circuit. The data sensor circuit responds to the triggering event, and may include data sensors coupled to vehicle systems such as a speedometer, tachometer, brake, turn signals or the like, or other data sensors such as an accelerometer or a vehicle position sensor. The triggering event may be, for example, a sudden change in acceleration indicative of an impending collision, or it may be a change in the signal provided by any such data sensor, including the image sensor. The capture circuit is coupled to the image sensor and captures a signal representing the video imagery by recording it in a digital memory, by transmitting it to a remote location, or by other suitable means. The capture circuit terminates capture of the signal in response to the data sensor circuit sensing a triggering event. Note that data describing circumstances leading up to the time capture was terminated will have been captured. The data can be analyzed to help police, insurance or other investigative personnel understand those circumstances. In some embodiments of the present invention the device may continue to capture data for a predetermined time interval after the triggering event.
The device is mounted in the vehicle cabin a manner that provides a clear field-of-view for the image sensor. For example, it can be mounted on the windshield or on the dashboard of the vehicle, with the image sensor directed either forwardly toward action occurring on the other side of the windshield or rearwardly toward action occurring in the vehicle cabin. In some embodiments of the present invention, the device may include two such image sensors, one directed forwardly and the other rearwardly.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention the device is integrated with a rear-view mirror. In other words, the housing is similar in size and shape to that of a conventional automotive rear-view mirror assembly and includes, in addition to the elements described above, a mirror and other features commonly included in conventional automotive rear-view mirrors. In such embodiments, the device is mounted to the windshield or a surrounding area of the vehicle in the manner of a conventional rear-view mirror.
The foregoing, together with other features and advantages of the present invention, will become more apparent when referring to the following specification, claims, and accompanying drawings.